Sara Coates knew from an early age that she wanted to work with and serve children. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she returned to Roxboro, and the school where her grandfather was once principal, to serve the children of her hometown.
When she graduated from Roxboro Community School (RCS) in 2018, Sara had earned a year’s worth of college credits at Piedmont Community College (PCC). She remained in Roxboro and continued studying at PCC until transferring as a junior to UNC-Wilmington. But then Covid-19 hit.
Sara said, “Early in 2020, I made the decision to return home, continue working my high school job at Small World Daycare, and finish my degree online at Fayetteville State University (FSU). In 2021, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from FSU with a bachelor of science degree in psychology.”
Now, she is a Family Service Worker at Earl Bradsher Preschool, the building where her grandfather, Edwin Knott, worked when it was Earl Bradsher Elementary.
“I have always had an interest in working with children,” Sara explained. “I come from a long line of educators – my grandfather . . . I have two aunts who teach in Person County, and my mom has a long list of accomplishments in the early childhood field. I can remember sitting stuffed animals around my room and subjecting all of my younger cousins and neighbors to take part in lesson plans I created during my elementary school years.”
She continued, “It just made sense for me to head in the same direction; however, my path did take a slightly different turn. When I was in middle school, my family became licensed to foster children in Person County. I was really interested in this process and begged to take part in the classes with my parents. . . . After just a few classes, I was certain that working with children in adverse situations was my destiny.”
Sara said, “Once my family began to receive placements, I obviously fell in love with each and every one, but I also fell even deeper in love with what it really meant to foster. . . . the journey itself is much more than caring for a cute kid. At the very least, it's about being there for your neighbor, providing a safe place for them to land, and supporting parents who may not have had anyone on their side in the past. My family experienced many sad situations and had to say a lot of hard goodbyes, but the biggest struggle I faced was watching how birth families got treated throughout the process,” she said. “Given the extent of their own trauma, I often felt like many of them were being asked to meet unattainable goals with little to no support. While my family was fostering to help and protect children, that was never supposed to mean alienating the birth families involved. I believe these connections are among the most important in this life, so I feel it is vital that every effort be made to help these individuals improve their situations to avoid breaking these bonds. Ultimately, the way that many of the birth families were spoken to is what lit a fire in my soul. My number one goal became to transform this in some way,” said Sara.
As a college senior, she looked for career opportunities that would allow her to be a resource for parents and children. “I had been eyeing the position at Earl Bradsher for a little while, but wasn't sure I had enough experience for it,” she said. “What ultimately pushed me to apply was the connection I had to the school. I've always loved the environment, so I figured I would give it a shot. Now, I'm so thankful that I did because I could not have crafted a better position for myself!”
She continued, “Working in the community and school system that had such a major influence on building me into the person that I am means more to me than I could ever express...not to mention how much I love what I do. I'm literally living the dream.”
Much of Sara’s time is spent providing information and support, in a number of ways, to families and teachers. She added that she has four classrooms on her caseload, totaling 55 children.
“I am responsible for making sure my kids are attending school, conducting home visits and setting goals with their parents/guardians, as well as holding meetings that cover a number of topics, from things like kindergarten readiness to dealing with trauma. I help ensure that everyone is safe, informed, and actively involved in the education process,” she said.
She said that, while RCS did not directly affect her career path, the school did influence her greatly on a personal level. Even though she was at first reluctant to attend.
“I'll be the first to admit that I was against becoming a Bulldog. I had no interest in the strict dress code, I was devastated to part ways with the majority of my friends, and I dreaded the required senior speeches from the time I was 12. However, I wouldn't go back and trade my experiences for the world. I truly believe the high expectations that were set for me at RCS gave me the confidence to conquer all that life threw my way after graduation,” she said.
While at RCS, Sara was involved in Beta Club and the journalism program. “I have so many fond memories of my time at RCS,” she said. “The time I spent with my journalism and yearbook crew definitely tops most others. We were given the opportunity to visit the North Carolina General Assembly with Sen. Mike Woodard; we took a trip to Washington DC; we toured Strawbridge Studios, and we really turned even the most average of days into an extravagant adventure.”
She continued, “The four years I spent in journalism at RCS also helped me gain a part-time job writing for Hyco Lake Magazine. When I was still in high school, I joined my journalism instructor, Phyliss Boatwright, on a few interviews for stories she was writing at the time. I was originally more interested in the photography aspect of the business, so we made the perfect team,” Sara said. “After taking pictures for two or three of her stories, I was able to provide the image used for the cover of the winter 2017 edition. Once that was well-received, I was asked to write about a classmate in the spring 2018 edition. At the time, I was honored to have the opportunities, but I didn't anticipate the hobby continuing beyond graduation. During the summer of 2019, Boatwright reached out to me about a story the editors of the magazine felt I was best to cover. Without hesitation, I was ecstatic to get back in the game. Not long after that, I was asked to become a more permanent member of the team.” Since then, her work has been in nearly every edition.
“I'm really thankful to have the chance to continue learning about the community I love,” she said, “the people that live here, and the meaning behind the local businesses we support. It not only provides me with a great creative outlet, but also another really cool chance for me to give a voice to people who may not always be heard.”
To current RCS students trying to make decisions about their futures, said Sara, “I would encourage you to first and foremost follow your heart. You know yourself better than anyone else. This was the hardest lesson I had to learn, but once I was able to drown out the voices telling me what I should do and who I should be, I was able to accept what I knew was best for me and go after what I truly wanted. The earlier you can come to terms with this yourself, the happier you will be.”